Bogus Offers of Employment - Potential Petroleum plc co

The Commission has recently become aware of correspondence received by members of the public purporting to have been sent by a “Dr. George G Lambert and Mrs. Lizzie G Rayburn”” claiming to represent Potential Petroleum plc and/or Potential Peutroleum plc co (sic) which, it is claimed in the correspondence, has a presence at Albion House, Ridgeway Street, Douglas, Isle of Man.

Within the correspondence it is claimed that the recipient has been offered employment by the purported Potential Petroleum plc and/or Potential Peutroleum plc co (sic). They are asked to complete a purported “Police Clearance Application Form” which appears to be some attempt at duplicating an official document and are asked to pay an advance fee for processing the application. In relation to this bogus form recipients have been asked to contact a purported John Mark QC & Associates at 54 – 58, Athol Street, Douglas, Isle of Man.

There is no such address as Albion House, Ridgeway Street, Douglas, Isle of Man.

There are genuine premises situated at 54 – 58, Athol Street, Douglas, Isle of Man, however those premises are not genuinely occupied by a John Mark QC & Associates. The genuine occupants of those premises are not in any way associated or connected with a John Mark QC & Associates or with the aforementioned correspondence.

Potential Petroleum plc co and/or Potential Peutroleum plc co (sic) and John Mark QC & Associates are not companies incorporated in the Isle of Man, they are not registered business names in the Isle of Man and are not registered as companies incorporated elsewhere having established a place of business in the Isle of Man. The Commission has been unable to establish any genuine presence on the Isle of Man of Potential Petroleum plc and/or Potential Peutroleum plc co (sic) or John Mark QC & Associates.

Several telephone numbers are quoted within the aforementioned correspondence. None of the telephone numbers quoted relates to genuine Isle of Man telephone lines.

Under the circumstances the Financial Supervision Commission feels that this correspondence is being issued to tempt the recipient into becoming the victim of an Advance Fee Fraud.

OR Is an attempt at gaining personal data from the recipient in order to steal their identity.

Also see information issued by the Isle of Man Office of the Data Protection Supervisor.

Under the circumstances the Commission would encourage people receiving correspondence matching the above description to refrain from responding to it in any way.

Any persons who are already involved in any dealings resulting from the aforementioned correspondence and who have concerns should contact the Enforcement Division on +44 1624 689313 or by email to fsc@gov.im.

Any persons who have paid out funds in relation to the aforementioned correspondence or who have provided personal financial details in relation to the aforementioned correspondence should consider contacting their local police fraud unit without delay.

FSC reference: JPM/8/2009